Ukraine 鈥榙etermined鈥� to maintain US ties after aid halt

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal speaks during a press conference in Kyiv, Ukraine, Mar. 4, 2025. (AP)
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  • 鈥淯kraine is absolutely determined to continue cooperation with the US,鈥� Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmygal said
  • 鈥淭he US is an important partner and we need to preserve this鈥�

KYIV: Ukraine on Tuesday sought to maintain bonds with Washington after President Donald Trump ordered US military aid deliveries be suspended following a public clash with counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky.
Trump鈥檚 stunning decision strengthened fears in Ukraine and in many European capitals that America was pivoting away from its allies 鈥� and toward Moscow.
鈥淯kraine is absolutely determined to continue cooperation with the US,鈥� Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmygal told reporters, adding: 鈥淭he US is an important partner and we need to preserve this.鈥�
US and Western security guarantees were 鈥渆xistentially important鈥� for Ukraine and for Europe, he said, adding Kyiv was ready 鈥渁t any time鈥� to sign a strategic minerals extraction deal demanded by Trump.
The prime minister鈥檚 outreach followed Trump鈥檚 decision, which sent shockwaves across Ukraine, but which was also hailed by Moscow.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it was a 鈥渟olution which could really push the Kyiv regime to a peace process.鈥�
鈥淚f the United States stops (military supplies), this would probably be the best contribution to peace,鈥� Peskov said.
The European Union, which along with Ukraine, has been excluded from US-Russian negotiations toward a potential truce in Ukraine, has been scrambling to up its support for Kyiv.
That urgency heightened on Friday, when Trump and Zelensky clashed in the White House, with Trump warning his Ukrainian counterpart 鈥渨on鈥檛 be around very long鈥� without a ceasefire deal with Moscow.
European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday presented an EU plan to mobilize some 800 billion euros ($840 billion) for Europe鈥檚 defense.
She said the funding would permit EU countries to 鈥渕assively step up their support to Ukraine鈥� and provide 鈥渋mmediate military equipment for Ukraine.鈥�
Poland鈥檚 government noted that America鈥檚 decision was made without consulting NATO allies, and the impact was already being seen at a weapons and aid logistics hub for Ukraine it hosts.
鈥淩eports coming in from the border, as well as from our (logistics) hub... also confirm the announcements made by the American side,鈥� Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said without elaborating.
The US pause has gone into effect immediately and impacts hundreds of millions of dollars of weaponry in the process of being sent to Ukraine, The New York Times reported.
Ordinary Ukrainians who spoke to AFP were shocked and angry at what they viewed as a betrayal by Trump.
鈥淚t鈥檚 like a stab in the back,鈥� a 33-year-old financial assistant in Kyiv who gave only her first name, Sofia, told AFP.
Trump 鈥渨ants Ukraine鈥檚 surrender, the deaths of our people, the surrender of our territories,鈥� one army volunteer, Sergiy Sternenko, said on Telegram.
With the US aid pause, 鈥渆verything can change,鈥� a 48-year-old military recruiter in Kyiv, Volodymyr Perkhrest, told AFP. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think Europe is able to meet these needs,鈥� he said.
Ukraine鈥檚 prime minister vowed in a news conference that 鈥渨e will do everything to hold out鈥� despite the US aid cut.
A Zelensky aide, Mykhailo Pdolyak, said on X his country was 鈥渄iscussing options with our European partners.鈥�
Zelensky has yet to comment publicly on the halt of the US aid.
Last week, he visited Washington to sign the multi-billion-dollar minerals deal 鈥� but ended up not doing so after his showdown with Trump and US Vice President JD Vance.
Trump 鈥� who has labelled Zelensky a 鈥渄ictator鈥� 鈥� said Ukraine should be 鈥渕ore appreciative鈥� of US support.
Zelensky has accused Trump of succumbing to 鈥渁 disinformation space鈥� created by Russia, which he says is not serious about pursuing peace.
Ukraine is seeking tough security guarantees around an end to the war.
With the United States opposing its bid to join NATO, Kyiv is turning to other measures backed by Western countries.
After weekend crisis talks in London, Britain and France are investigating how to propose a one-month Ukraine-Russia truce 鈥渋n the air, at sea and on energy infrastructure鈥� 鈥� potentially backstopped by troops on the ground.